Israel-Iran tensions HIGHLIGHTS: Jaishankar speaks to Iranian counterpart, discusses release of Indian crew

President Joe Biden convened the Group of Seven advanced democracies on Sunday to coordinate a rebuke to Iran for its unprecedented and largely unsuccessful aerial attack on Israel and to prevent a wider regional escalation.

"Spoke to Iranian FM @Amirabdolahian this evening. Took up the release of 17 Indian crew members of MSC Aries. Discussed the current situation in the region. Stressed the importance of avoiding escalation, exercising restraint and returning to diplomacy," he posted on X.

Air India on Sunday decided to temporarily suspend flights to Tel Aviv amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran. An official said the direct flights between Delhi and Tel Aviv will be suspended for now.

The bustling streets and cafes of Tel Aviv on Sunday (April 14) showed little signs of the tension that was felt in Israel when it was attacked by Iran with hundreds of missiles and drones in the early hours of the day.
Cafes were buzzing and people were out and about after being locked in for several hours during an aerial night raid of interceptions and explosions. The salvo from hundreds of missiles and drones, mostly launched from inside Iran, caused only modest damage in Israel as most were shot down with the help of the U.S., Britain and Jordan. In Tel Aviv, residents were quick to return to normal in a show of resilience. "I think that we need to be out there, like to show them - we're not scared," said 22-year-old waitress Giya Barak from Tel Aviv.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Sunday (April 14) said Iran was "isolated" and called for an end to violence in the region.
"Iran is isolated with its aggressive behaviour with which it wants to destabilise an entire region," she said. Israel's capabilities have shown that it is strong and can protect itself, Baerbock added.

 Iranian Foreign Minister Amir Abdollahian said Tehran had informed the United States its attack on Israel would be "limited" and for self-defence. He said Israel's neighbours had also been informed of its planned strikes 72 hours in advance.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Sunday summoned the ambassadors of the U.K., Germany and France after the three European nations condemned an Iranian attack on Israel.
The ministry said on its website that the ambassadors were called in over their governments’ “irresponsible stances” on the Iranian operation against Israel, which was in retaliation for a strike widely blamed on Israel on an Iranian consular building in Syria earlier this month that killed two Iranian generals.

Pope Francis urged Iran and Israel in his Sunday’s prayer to avoid new actions that could spark “a spiral of violence” and drag the Middle East deeper into conflict. “I follow in prayer and with concern, even pain, the news that came in the last few hours about the aggravation of the situation in Israel, due to the intervention by Iran,” Francis said, addressing pilgrims from the window overlooking St. Peter’s Square.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said his country has no intention of continuing the military operation against Israel. “At this juncture, the Islamic Republic of Iran has no intention of continuing defensive operations,” he posted on X, and added: “But if necessary, it will not hesitate to protect its legitimate interests against any new aggression.”

In a major setback for Israel, US President Joe Biden has reportedly told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to leave the conflict in tatters if he attempts to counter-attack Iran. According to a report by CNN, both leaders spoke about the development over the phone, where the US President clearly told Netanyahu that he "would not help Israel", if the military attempted any aggression against Tehran.

Somali pirates released a hijacked ship, MV Abdullah, and its crew of 23 early on Sunday after a $5 million ransom was paid, according to two pirates. "The money was brought to us two nights ago as usual... we checked whether the money was fake or not. Then we divided the money into groups and left, avoiding the government forces," Abdirashiid Yusuf, one of the pirates, told Reuters. He added the ship had been released with all its crew.

Israel on Sunday hailed its successful air defences in the face of an unprecedented attack by Iran, saying it and its allies thwarted 99% of the more than 300 drones and missiles launched toward its territory. But regional tensions remain high, amid fears of further escalation in the event of a possible Israeli counter-strike.

On being asked about whether will Israel escalate the war into Lebanon and Iran, Ambassador of Israel to India Naor Gilon says, "We don't want a regional escalation, at the same time we cannot stand idle when people attack us, we only retaliate...Since Iran attacked, they will meet our reaction sometime down the road."

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a separate statement that U.S. forces “intercepted dozens of missiles and UAVs en route to Israel, launched from Iran, Iraq, Syria and Yemen.”

Amid rising tensions between Iran and Israel, Indian airline companies are likely to announce the suspension of flight operations to and from Tel Aviv. The major development came following Iran and its proxies operating out of Yemen, Syria and Iraq launched more than 200 projectiles at Israel on Saturday night, including dozens of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones.

Israel's chief military spokesperson said on Sunday that France was among the countries involved in defending against Iran's overnight attack on Israel. "France has very good technology, jets, radar - and I know they were contributing in patrolling airspace," he said, adding that he did not have exact details on whether French jets had shot down any of the missiles launched by Iran.

China called on relevant parties to exercise calm and restraint to prevent further escalations after Iran's military strike on Israeli territory on Sunday, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in a statement later on the same day.

"China expresses deep concern over the current escalation and calls on relevant parties to exercise calm and restraint to prevent further escalations. The ongoing situation is the latest spillover of the Gaza conflict. There should be no more delays in implementing UN Security Council Resolution 2728, and the conflict must end now. China calls on the international community, especially countries with influence, to play a constructive role for the peace and stability of the region."

Jordan and Iraq reopened their airspace on Sunday after closing it late on Saturday as Iran launched drone and missile attacks against Israel, both countries said on Sunday.
Jordan's state TV said the country had resumed air traffic operations, citing aviation authorities. The opening of its airspace came more than three hours earlier than scheduled.

Booms and air raid sirens sounded across Israel early Sunday after Iran launched hundreds of drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles in an unprecedented revenge mission that pushed the Middle East closer to a regionwide war. A military spokesman said the launches numbered more than 300 but 99% of them were intercepted.

Hamas has rejected the latest proposal for a deal to return Israeli hostages and Israel will continue to pursue its objectives in Gaza "with full force", Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said in a statement.
The statement said that the rejection of the proposals showed that Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas in Gaza, did not want a deal and was trying to exploit tensions with Iran and bring about a regional escalation of the conflict.

The UN Security Council was set to meet at 4 p.m. ET (2000 GMT) on Sunday after Israel requested it condemn Iran's attack and designate the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organization, according to a schedule released late on Saturday.

Australia and Canada condemned Iran's attack on Israel.

United States President Joe Biden said the US helped Israel 'take down nearly all' Iranian drones and missiles.

'We call for immediate de-escalation, exercise of restraint, stepping back from violence and return to the path of diplomacy' said the Ministry of External Affairs.

The US stands with the people of Israel and supports their defence against this threat from Iran, National Security Council's spokesperson at the White House Adrienne Watson said. In a statement issued on Saturday, Watson also said this attack is likely to unfold over a number of hours. "Iran has begun an airborne attack against Israel" and President Joe Biden's team is in constant communication with Israeli officials as well as other partners and allies, the spokesperson said.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to US President Joe Biden, following the deliberations of the Security Cabinet and the War Cabinet.

Jordan's air defence is ready to shoot down any Iranian aircraft that violate its airspace, said the media reports.

US President Joe Biden held a meeting with the national security team.

"I just met with my national security team for an update on Iran’s attacks against Israel. Our commitment to Israel’s security against threats from Iran and its proxies is ironclad," he posted on X.

The attack marked the first time Iran had ever launched a direct military assault on Israel, despite decades of enmity dating back to the country's 1979 Islamic Revolution. Condemnation was swift, with France saying that “Iran has crossed a new threshold with regard to its destabilizing activities and is risking a potential military escalation.

Air raid sirens have sounded in Jerusalem as a series of explosions were heard in the skies. At least booms sounded as Iranian drones are arriving. There is no immediate word from authorities on whether the explosions are an incoming attack or the sound of interceptions. Iran launched dozens of drones and ballistic missiles toward Israel late Saturday in an unprecedented revenge mission that pushed the Middle East ever closer to a regionwide war.

An incoming attack by Iranian drones and ballistic missiles poses the latest challenge to Israel's air defense system, which already has been working overtime to cope with incoming rocket, drone and missile attacks throughout the six-month war against Hamas. The Arrow: This system developed with the US is designed to intercept long-range missiles, including the types of ballistic missiles Iran said it launched on Saturday. The Arrow, which operates outside the atmosphere, has been used in the current war to intercept long-range missiles launched by Houthi militants in Yemen.

Iranian drones intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome, as Iran launched a drone attack against Israel by sending thousands of drones into its airspace.